1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to packaging for solid pourable product, and more particularly to a specialty box for conveniently dispensing confectioneries or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Clever packaging, from both a functional and aesthetic standpoint, is proven to drive and generate sales. Applicant is the owner of the von Stillfried U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,373 licensed for the popular Certs® mints box, and is the named inventor on numerous U.S. patents directed to specialty packaging including U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,116,499, 6,273,332, 6,360,942, 6,435,402, 6,945,449 and 7,040,528.
Further, Applicant is the inventor of the subject matter disclosed in pending U.S. application Ser. No. 11/321,283 published Jun. 15, 2006 and entitled “Convenient Solid Product Dispensing Package.” That application discloses a relatively large candy package of a hexagonal six-sided cross-section and slide opener designed to be held in conventional cup holders in moving vehicles.
While Applicant's packages described in the patents and published applications offer many advantages including being easy opening/closing, most are not truly pocket sized nor easily entirely operable with one hand or have other disadvantages. For example, for the candy/mint boxes disclosed in patents mentioned above, the slide opening operates in conjunction with the top of the box. For these boxes if held upright in one hand and thumb actuated require partially opening the top of the box and the user's thumb tends to block the product being dispensed.
Accordingly, Applicant has continued to develop boxes of new and differing functionality which offer improvements over the prior art including in ease of operation.